Strength training = Lean muscle tone

I want to take some time this week to talk about the link between strength training and body composition: two of my all-time favorite subjects. During this July, which is body composition month, I want to try to dispel some common myths regarding the effects of strength training. Many people, both women and men, have a fear that strength training will result in “bulking-up”. Unfortunately, there are a large percentage of people who miss out on all of the wonderful benefits of strength training due to this concern. In fact, strength training often results in a leaner more toned look (the opposite of bulky) and will improve your body composition by simultaneously increasing lean muscle mass and decreasing body fat percentage. Strength training even helps you burn more calories when you are not in the gym. How, you may ask?

Cardio or Strength Training for Higher Calorie Burn?

First of all, muscle mass is metabolically active. Muscle burns more calorie pound for pound than fat, some estimates place muscle calorie burn at 50 calories/pound/day while fat only burns 3 calories/pound/day. This is a huge difference! Increasing your lean muscle mass even slightly will have profound effects on your daily calorie expenditure even on days you don’t make it to the gym. Another benefit of strength training is that your body tends to burn more calories for the 24-48 hours after a strength session than it does after a cardio session. So for all of you counting calories, while an hour on the treadmill may look like it will result in more calories burned than an hour lifting weights, the long-term calorie expenditure of strength training will often be greater. I encourage you all to take advantage of these benefits of strength training. Aim for at least two strength sessions a week. We have great options for strength training from Targeted Training to TRX. Your body (and your body composition) will thank you!

It is a BIG one

Personal Training Director, Jay McWilliams

Guess what? It’s my favorite month of the year….. STRENGTH MONTH! If you have been following my newsletters, you know how important full-body resistance training is to achieving all of your health and wellness goals. The benefits are countless: from increased metabolism, to decreased risk of fractures, to better cognitive function. If you do one thing for yourself this year, make it adding two to three days of strength training to your routine. A new 8 week cycle of Targeted Training is beginning May 28th, and this is a great way to begin a consistent strength routine. Please find below a description of Targeted and some answers to frequently asked questions about the program.

Targeted Training provides a middle ground between personal training and group classes, by offering strength training in 8 week programming cycles, in a well-planned progression to groups of up to 6 participants. You will receive the attention to detail, individualized coaching and support found in training, while still enjoying the camaraderie of a small tightly knit group, all at a much more affordable price tag than personal training. Each 8 week progression offers full-body strength training using a variety of equipment, including barbells, cable-machines, kettlebells, dumbbells, and resistance bands. You will track your progress over the course of the 8 weeks on a personalized tracker sheet. Most participants are able to see concrete improvements in strength over the course of the program. In fact, the majority of participants continue with the program for months to years and continue to reap the strength benefits. After the 8 week cycle of training, there will be an additional make-up week; to allow those who had to miss 1-2 sessions during the program a time to make-up these work-outs. At that point current participants are allowed to sign-up for the next cycle before it opens up to the general community. To maximize the benefits of the program, we highly recommend twice a week attendance, but once a week attendance is possible. Each session allows a maximum of 6 participants, ensuring a good training environment and plenty of one-on-one coaching from the trainer.

Targeted Training Frequently Asked Questions:

I am a beginner at strength training, is Targeted a good fit?

Yes! Targeted has the ability to be much more customizable than group classes and all levels, from beginner to advanced, can work out together and challenge themselves appropriately. One of the most rewarding aspects of Targeted is seeing your progress over the 8 weeks, which we track on a strength training tracker sheet. Beginners will be shocked by how much they can progress in these 8 weeks, and often report feeling encouraged and inspired by more advanced participants. It is a warm and compassionate environment with everyone supporting each other.

Do I really need to attend twice a week?

The program is designed for twice a week attendance and you will get the most out of the program if you are able to attend twice per week. However, if this is not possible in your schedule, you can attend once per week. If you are only coming once per week, it will be critical to complete 1-2 days of full-body strength training on your own outside of class.

Why is this an 8 week program?

We have found that eight weeks is a good amount of time to focus on a “micro-cycle” of training progressions, and this provides an easy way to allow new participants to enter the program at designated times. However, most participants continue to attend Targeted training for months to years; there are some members who have been doing Targeted twice a week steadily for three years and they have the strength gains to prove it! The program is designed to be used as a long-term progressive strength training program divided into 8 week cycles.

I have an injury I am rehabilitating from, is Targeted right for me?

Targeted training has worked wonders for many participants with injuries and physical limitations. The small group environment and one on one coaching allow for safe effective strength training for those with some limitations. Personal training may be a better option if you are very restricted by your doctor or physical therapist, or if your goal is a more specific rehabilitation program for a certain body part. But, if you are looking for full body strength training while working around an injury, Targeted is a great option.

Why is there an additional cost for Targeted?

Targeted training fits more in the realm of small group personal training than group classes, and due to the small group size and level of attention it is an excellent value. At less than $20/session it is a fraction of the cost of personal training. You will also have the opportunity to utilize equipment that is not available to group class participants. We encourage you to speak with current Targeted participants and ask them about the value of the program.

Upcoming Targeted Schedule

Targeted Strength Training: Traditional Program

Monday/Wednesday: 8:30-9:30am, 5:30-6:30pm, 7:00-8:00pm

Tuesday/Thursday: 6:30-7:30am, 11:30-12:30pm, 6:00-7:00pm

Introduction to Weight Training (Female only)

Saturday 12:00PM

This class is designed for women who are new to strength training and are interested in learning the fundamentals of the three primary barbell lifts – the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Taught in a supervised and small group of women only, this class will help you find your strength and properly and safely execute the major barbell lifts. No prior weight training experience is required. If you’ve ever been curious about powerlifting and wondered, ‘can I do that?’, then this is the class for you. Come learn how to lift with the camaraderie and support of your fellow strong women! Each class will begin with a warm-up to properly prime your movement patterns and work on mobility prior to lifting. This class will follow a workshop-style – the first half of the class will cover the basic cues, setup, and execution of the lift, and the second half will include a weightlifting circuit incorporating the lift of the week. We will learn the basic movements using kettlebells, dumbbells, and resistance bands, and work our way up to the barbell lifts.

Women’s Intermediate Weight Training

Saturday 11:00AM

This class will cover the fundamentals of the three primary barbell power lifts – the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Taught in a supervised and small group of women only, this class will help you find your strength and properly and safely execute the major barbell lifts. In addition to barbells, this class will use a variety of equipment including kettlebells, dumbbells, cable machines, and resistance bands for a well-rounded full body strength training program. Come discover why so many women are switching up their old gym routines and changing their body composition with barbell training! This class is recommended for those who have some prior weight training experience but are looking to take your experience to the next level, or fine tune your barbell lifting techniques and increase your strength.

Once you have registered, we will email you with instructions to either sign up for Targeted on your own, or set up a one on one consult to discuss the targeted program and figure out if it is the right fit for you.

Balance can be tricky. It seldom comes easy and the more it’s neglected, the worse it gets. Whether it’s work/life, relationships, or fitness, the long-term benefits of improving your balance can be life changing. For our purposes, let’s stick with fitness.

When training for balance, let’s start at the root of the matter- feet! Most people have had their feet stuffed in their shoes for 8 or more hours per day, every day, for nearly as long as they’ve been alive. Although necessary in most circumstances, the shoes have essentially created a “crutch” for your feet. The muscles of the feet will likely have atrophied (broken down) and weakened, giving you a much less stable surface to move upon. Now I’m not saying to go burn every pair of shoes you own and to relive your Woodstock experience, but let’s address this sooner than later.

First – take your shoes off and let your toes wiggle. Let them breath and feel the ground beneath them. Our feet are incredible sensory tools and require that stimulation to function optimally. Try this out: while standing, take a tennis or lacrosse ball and place it under one foot. Gently apply pressure on the ball and slowly roll your foot up, down, left and right all over this ball. This is a great way to jump starting your nerves, relieve tension in your feet, and bring in some fresh blood supply.

Second – perform a simple exercise to “root” your feet. After you’ve rolled out your feet, stand tall, abdomen and glutes slightly engaged, with your feet facing forward about shoulder width apart. For this exercise you will focus on the connection to the ground with three parts of your foot: big toe, pinky toe, and heel. Apply pressure into the ground with just those three parts of your foot, hold for 10 seconds, and rest. Doing this exercise regularly can help strengthen the muscles of your feet and improve their neuromuscular response, essentially making them more “awake.”

Third – strength train. Having balance requires total body strength and proprioception. Standing still and training balance is one thing, but what about when we’re in motion? Teaching your body how to move through space is incredibly important and even more important as we age. Our feet have been neglected and need attention, however muscles like the glutes and core are incredibly important as well. To truly make an impact on your balance and quality of life I recommend full-body strength training 2-3 times per week. 50/50 Fitness Nutrition provides a great space to strength train in a supervised and safe environment. Programs such as personal training, Targeted Strength, Yoga, and Pilates are all fantastic options to challenge yourself. I hope to see you there!